New TH400 Auto Shift Transbrakes
Trending Topics
01-30-2012, 07:57 PM
#8
About a year ago I did the "Cheater" Th400 auto shift transbrake. It is an entirely hydraulic transbrake that works off the shifter to lock the transmission up in manual low gear.
So when the shifter is in LOW, the transmission will be locked up. You can do a burnout in 2nd or 3rd, stage the car, lock the shifter to manual low, and then throttle the engine to stall the converter up, as the light comes down, you bump the shifter to the 2nd gear position to release the transmission/transbrake to launch the car. It wil then auto shift to 2nd based on how you have the governor setup, and it will auto or you can manually shift to 3rd.
It's a very effective design, quick release, good exhaust, etc but you CANNOT accidentally engage low gear or you will be sliding to a stop.
A similar design was used on the Buick Grand Nationals called the Stageright.
Not quite as consistant as an electrically operated brake and the obvious safety concerns but a nice "cheat" in a class where a transbrake is not really allowed, because it has no electrical connection required at all it is very hard to detect.
The newest design uses the stock detent solenoid in the TH400 to electrically activate a transbrake, yet is still allows all the normal automatic features and full manual shifting except the normal kickdown function which most high powered cars don't use anyway.
So when the shifter is in LOW, the transmission will be locked up. You can do a burnout in 2nd or 3rd, stage the car, lock the shifter to manual low, and then throttle the engine to stall the converter up, as the light comes down, you bump the shifter to the 2nd gear position to release the transmission/transbrake to launch the car. It wil then auto shift to 2nd based on how you have the governor setup, and it will auto or you can manually shift to 3rd.
It's a very effective design, quick release, good exhaust, etc but you CANNOT accidentally engage low gear or you will be sliding to a stop.
A similar design was used on the Buick Grand Nationals called the Stageright.
Not quite as consistant as an electrically operated brake and the obvious safety concerns but a nice "cheat" in a class where a transbrake is not really allowed, because it has no electrical connection required at all it is very hard to detect.
The newest design uses the stock detent solenoid in the TH400 to electrically activate a transbrake, yet is still allows all the normal automatic features and full manual shifting except the normal kickdown function which most high powered cars don't use anyway.
